Floating terminal for aircraft



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H. SUNDSTEDT FLOATING TERMINAL FOR AIRCRAFT Sept. 23, 1930.

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h ll Sept. 23, 1930. H. SUNDSTEDT FLOATING TERMINAL FOR AIRCRAFT Filed May 27, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 23, 1930 urrun STATES PATE T OFFICE HUGO SUNDSTEDT, or NEW YORK, 1v. Y., ASSIGNOR T AMERICAN nvrea'rron con- PORATION, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

FLOATING TERMINAL FOR AIRCRAFT Application filed May 27,

This invention relates to a floating dock for air craft and is arranged to provide terminal accommodations for both dirigibles and hydroplanes. Amongst other features,

some of its objects are to provide; a dock in the form of a ships hull which floats at anchor and naturally drifts with the bow towards the wind; a floating hull with a central water-way to receive hydroplanes, a

floating hull with a mooring tower at the bow with an anchorage for dirigibles, a floating hull .with a water way for hydroplanes and a mooring tower for dirigibles, a floating hull with a central water way open at one end and enclosed by gates, a floating hull with a central water way and decks below the plane of the wings of a hydroplane when floating on the water way, a floating hull with a central water way and a rudder on each 29 side of said .water-way, and a hull with a mooring tower for dirigibl'es having an adjustable anchorage. Other objects of the invention are described in detail in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,'Fig. 1, is an end elevation from the bow of .an air craft terminal constructed according to my invention, Fig. 2 is an elevation from the stern,

Fig. 3 is a plan view from the top deck showing in dotted outline a hydroplane in dock, Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the terminal with a dirigible at anchor and a hydroplane in dock, Fig. 5 is a diagram showing one method of operating the rudders from the helm and Figs. 6 and 7 are details of the trolley arrangement for adjusting the anchorage on the mooring tower.

This invention contemplates a floating dock or terminal which can accommodate air craft of the airplane type and independently accommodate air craft of the dirigible type.

It is intended to be anchoredclose to shoal waters where hydroplanes may land and where it may be reached by steam ships of light draft. The hull comprises a bow and stern of stream line formation, which, when anchored naturally drifts with the bow to- "wards the wind. Within the hull a central water-way is provided which is open atthe stern and into which a hydro-plane can sail 1926. Serial n 111,941.

directly as it lands against the wind. In thebow of the hull a mooring tower is provided for. the anchorage of dirigibles. As the bow always points towards the wind, this anchorage is secured at one side of the tower and is secured to a vertical trolley on the tower so that the height of the anchorage is adjustable and by this means the gondola of the dirigible may be lowered to the level of the terminal decks. By placing the mooring tower at the bow which points into the wind, the overturning moments on the tower is resisted by the entire length of the hull. The central water-way of the hull is providedwith gates sothat it may be isolated and the water pumped out and thereby securing the advantages of a dry dock for the inspection of the pontoons of the hydroplane.

The hull is provided with a propeller and rudder on either side of the central water way and is'capable of movement under its own power. The mooring tower is of stream line formationand is provided with a beacon light at top. The hull is provided with suitable decking and bunker accommodation to make a complete terminal for the transfer of merchandise and passengers and supplies for fueling and equipping the air craft.

Referring to the drawings, 11 is the hull which floats to the water line indicated by aa, 12 is the mooring tower, 13 is the deck of the how, 14 is the deck of the bridge, 15 and 16 are bridge towers, 17-17, is the passenger dock, 1818 is the-dock for supplies and merchandise, 19 is the central water-way which is enclosed at the stern by the gates 20, these gates opening to the position indicated by 21 to make the dock accessible to air craft floating on the water. It will be noted from Fig. 2 which shows the gates in the open position that the central water way is comparatively shallow and need only be of such depth as will float the air craft. Pumps are provided, but not shown in the drawings, whereby the water in the dock 19 thereby providing a floating ry dock.

The tower 12 is constructed in a stream line formation as indicated at 25, Fig. 3 and is provided with a platform at 26 and a tower at 27 can be pumped out when the ates are closed,

which supports the beacon light at 28. This light may be arranged to project a beam of light Vertically as well as horizontally. Search lights are also provided at 36 on the towers 15 and 16.

The dirigible 51, Fig. 4, is anchored to the tower at 29. The details of this anchorage is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. A vertical trolley is connected with an I-beam 25 onthe extreme edge of the tower. This trolley comprises the frame 71 supporting the rollers 7 2 and 7 3 on the flange of the I-beam and the roller 7 4 on the outside of the Ibeam. This frame terminates in the eye 29 to which the anchorage is made and has the chain 75 connected there with for hoisting it aloft and the chain 7 6 for lowering it. When hoisted aloft as in Fig. 4 the trolley rests in a projection in the I-beam as shown and the platform 26 registers with the platform 52 of the dirigible. By lowering the trolley through the chain 7 6 the dirigible may be lowered until the gondola 53 is level with the dock.

It will be noted from Fig. 3 that the outer sides of the hull are deflected inwards amidships at 33. This provides a space on one side for the propeller 31 and on the opposite side for the propeller 32. Near the end of this deflected portion of the hull the rudder 34 is provided on one side and the rudder 35 on the opposite side. These rudders may be operated in unison as indicated in Fig. 5. The helm 41 when turned in one direction releases the cable 43 and takes up the cable 47 causing thecables to move in the direction of the arrows. The rudder 34 is pivoted on the tiller 44 which is engaged by the cable and the rudder 35 is correspondingly pivoted on the tiller 46. The cable 45 is looped around the central water-way by suitable pulleys as shown. By moving the helm as described the rudders 34 and 35 are both moved to the right and by reversing the movement of the helm, the movement of the rudders is reversed. This construction places the propellers and the rudders within the clearance of the hull and where they cannot be injured by passing air-craft. The dock 18 is extended over the deflected portion of the hull as shown in Fig. 2 so that the docking area has straight, symmetrical '17 and 18. The wings overlap and extend beyond the dock as indicated by the dotted outline in Fig. 3. The airplane can back out of the dock when the gates are opened and when in the dock can be fully inspected and loaded and unloaded. In general the loading and equipping of a hydroplane can be performed in a comparatively short time and this rasse type of dock permits of the rapidly receiving and sailing of this type of craft.

It will be observed that the buoyant portion of the hull is reduced towards the stern by the central water way and by the deflection of the sides of the hull; this provides an increased buoyancy under the mooring tower and preserves an even keel in the hull.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In an aircraft terminal as described the combination, a floating hull with a central longitudinal waterway having a draft below the water line of said hull suflicient to float hydroplanes and enclosed by low decks and by gates at the entering end and so arranged that hydroplanes may float into said waterway under their own power with their wings projecting above said decks and means clear of said waterway for operating said gates.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 17 day of May, A. D. 1926. HUGO SUNDSTEDT. 

